Clipping foals

[pinkapache]

Im wondering what everyone thinks about clipping foals...do you have a limit on how young you will do it, do you do it for shows or selling?

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

Im wondering what everyone thinks about clipping foals...do you have a limit on how young you will do it, do you do it for shows or selling?

I showed my filly, Delilah when she was 3 weeks old

 

[chandab]

I head and neck clipped my 2009 filly; she was so warm in her baby fuzzies that she was uncomfortable. I think she was only a couple weeks old when I clipped.

 

[~Lisa~]

I had a foal from a mare I got who was pasture bred I was in So Cal at the time and he was born in August- he was rough clipped within hours of birth

 

[rockin r]

I have clipped my foals as early as 3 weeks.

 

[Sandy B]

Great question as I was wondering the same thing.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I do not show foals- I believe they should be allowed to have a life, and to grow up naturally,. all the show stuff comes quickly enough as a yearling, I think. I do not clip foals, there is no reason too- I am in some doubt as to the truth behind needing to clip foals in the very hot places as I have experienced foals under such conditions (yes, even in England

) and found they very quickly shed naturally in all the places they needed, and kept the "blanket" of withers to rump fur as insulation against the sun and the heat as much as anything. I cannot honestly see the point of removing a foals natural insulation, and then having to get them into the shade, or a stall if the weather turns cold (even in hot places it gets cold at night)

A good foal looks good in natural coat as well as clipped- in fact I think they look better in natural coat, myself.

They are what they are.....

 

[lilnickers]

Jane-You are so right!

The foal's natural coat also protects them from biting insects. Even on very hot summer days, I see the foals taking their naps in the full sun

I think foals are similar to human babies, their body temperature regulates to the evironment around them. But, we can't help but worry about them, just the same

That said...I have on occasion clipped a foal, but not before 3 months old, and it was for a show.

 

[Riverrose28]

While foals are still in utero the outside temperator dictates how much coat a foal will be born with. But! some times mother nature takes a turn soon after. For example foals born early in the year will have a full fuzzy coat, while foals born in summer will be born smooth. Some foals born with a fuzzy coat and then mother nature decides a few weeks later to turn on us. My personaly experience is to leave mother nature alone, but, as humans we don't always listen, or have other needs. I have clipped a foals head and neck for pictures at around three weeks of age, and I have clipped a three month old completely for show with dam. You need to be careful when dealing with newborns, the days may be hot, but nights cold. If you don't need to clip, leave it to mother nature. If you must clip keep an eye on the weather and blanket if necessary at night. Personally the coat is an insulator and bug protector, so if you clip you most offer protection from the bugs and the cold.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I'm with Jane, and do NOT clip foals. Sun and insect protection is more important than unwrapping them IMHO.

I also won't stress a foal showing, stressed mom, ulcers, diseases, no thanks.

I've considering doing a partial head/neck, but haven't yet. Maybe one day.

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

All of our mares and foals are in fully covered stalls. I don't clip foals when it is too cold. They are blanketed if needed when I show. I've only shown a foal once. She did awesome but it was not a long trip....5 min from our house and I road in the trailer with them to make sure she was fine. It would be different if your foals are out to pasture and were more prone to sun/bugs.

 

[Sandy B]

My experience has been with full sized foals and they do shed out in summer. Right now my two month old colt has a major raccoon face and is shedding out losing that baby coat. Our mini filly that is a month old has an arctic coat. How can that arctic coat be healthy in the heat? Its a fact that a good majority of adult mini horses never shed out like a full sized horse does either. I think a thick coat like what the baby has would cause heat stress and exhaustion when it gets to 90+ degrees. Any ways, minis are so different in everything compared to a full sized horse. I think when we downsized these guys we messed up a lot of "natural" processes that are supposed to take place. Just my opinion.

 

[Shaladar]

I've always clipped my foals. I do a modified clip, mainly along the underside of the neck, the chest, armpits and flanks. Basically anywhere they will sweat, and anywhere to get some air to cool them. And I also want to see that pretty little head

Usually the earlier they are done the easier they are to do. My 2 month old filly doesn't even need to be haltered or held, she just stands there while I clip her. No fear. I did have to hold her a bit the first time, but I think she liked it, I did go with the hair the first time so she suddenly didn't have super short hair, then the next time I clipped with a 10 blade. She looks a bit silly now as I have clipped all but her back and rump and legs. But she's a cute silly...LOL

Now , we don't have a lot of flies, or flying or creepy crawleys, so I don't have to worry about bug bites.

Sue

Wanted to add: I do not clip the ears. Clean then up a little, but not full clip.

 

[Sandy B]

I've always clipped my foals. I do a modified clip, mainly along the underside of the neck, the chest, armpits and flanks. Basically anywhere they will sweat, and anywhere to get some air to cool them. And I also want to see that pretty little head

Usually the earlier they are done the easier they are to do. My 2 month old filly doesn't even need to be haltered or held, she just stands there while I clip her. No fear. I did have to hold her a bit the first time, but I think she liked it, I did go with the hair the first time so she suddenly didn't have super short hair, then the next time I clipped with a 10 blade. She looks a bit silly now as I have clipped all but her back and rump and legs. But she's a cute silly...LOL

Now , we don't have a lot of flies, or flying or creepy crawleys, so I don't have to worry about bug bites.

Sue

Thank you! Gracie's filly is a month old. I am just down the road from you a couple hours so I appreciate the info. I am looking at the forecast to make a decision when to shave her. I think our last storm of the season just happened. We do have baby blanket if needed. I would rather shave her soon though so that when the flies do get here, she has grown back some protection. We also have lots of trees for shade.

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

My experience has been with full sized foals and they do shed out in summer. Right now my two month old colt has a major raccoon face and is shedding out losing that baby coat. Our mini filly that is a month old has an arctic coat. How can that arctic coat be healthy in the heat? Its a fact that a good majority of adult mini horses never shed out like a full sized horse does either. I think a thick coat like what the baby has would cause heat stress and exhaustion when it gets to 90+ degrees. Any ways, minis are so different in everything compared to a full sized horse. I think when we downsized these guys we messed up a lot of "natural" processes that are supposed to take place. Just my opinion.

Yes....I have had the same experience. The big guys shed out no problems. Sometimes our mini foals are so hairy and it gets HOT. They are yucky and sweaty. So we clip. I have had no issues with bugs or sun, clipping my foals. But we do have fully covers stalls and misters.

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

Wanted to add: I do not clip the ears. Clean then up a little, but not full clip.

I don't clip the inside of the ears either and just clip them roughly, but that goes for all my horses unless I'm showing.

 

[Charlotte]

We don't show babies. Just too hard on them. We have to clip foals when we have temps of 100+ with high humidity. They overheat. If the foal has a lot of pink skinned white I clip those areas with the direction of hair growth for sun protection.

I will sometimes clip a little off my foals head and neck as early as 10 days, but it's quick and baby doesn't seem to mind. this is for pictures when the foal is for sale.

I have full body clipped a foal at 2 weeks when heat stress was the issue. That foal spent the summer afternoons in a 20x20 pen with her mom under a huge shade tree with a mister on them. She never did really regulate her temp well as a baby.

Charlotte